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What makes a certain role iconic? For us, it’s when an actor’s portrayal of a character becomes so well-known and recognizable that the actor and the character are linked forever, setting a standard that is often impossible to overcome. Just think of Meryl Streep as the fierce Miranda Priestly or Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator. For the public audience, they’ll always be remembered for these legendary roles, and any possible remake would struggle to find a worthy successor that wouldn’t be met with skepticism. (But let’s be real, who would be so crazy to mess with perfection?)
It’s not just the actor’s skills that elevate a movie’s story, though. The chemistry with their co-stars and their ability to make a character believable and relatable can really make or break a movie and turn an average film into a cinematic masterpiece. It’s no wonder these perfectly cast actors ended up with award nominations and wins, as they’ve been able to bring a level of authenticity to the role that is hard to match. Spot-on casting can be a tricky business for directors and producers, but when they get it right, it can lead to some of the most memorable performances in film history.
With that in mind, let’s look at the movies with the best casting, as shared in this online thread. From Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump to Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, these great actors embodied their characters so perfectly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. This list of legendary casting choices is sure to take both film buffs and casual moviegoers on a journey through some of the most unforgettable performances on the big screen!
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#3
The Dark Knight - Heath Ledger
imariaprime replied: "I remember the outcry when he was cast; it was unimaginable that such a pretty boy could be the Joker.
That was the role that taught me to shut my mouth and give people a chance; he obliterated all opposition. I still can't actually see any of Heath Ledger in that role; I only see the Joker."
#4
House - Hugh Laurie
"Hugh Laurie as Dr. House. I know it's not a movie, but that casting is so good. I knew him from 'Blackadder' before and was amazed at how perfect he was as House."
#5
Harry Potter - Robbie Coltrane
"Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid."
manic_laugh wrote: "JK Rowling really wanted Coltrane for Hagrid. She has said in interviews that when the books were being adapted, he had to be the first person they approached for the role."
#6
Iron Man - Robert Downey Jr
Darkmaster666666 replied: "Stan lee himself said that RDJ is exactly how he imagined Iron-man to be. Very touching IMO."
#7
Misery - Kathy Bates
romeowmontague replied: "Stephen King was quite impressed with Kathy Bates' performance in this film, so much so that he later wrote two more roles for her. The title role in his novel "Dolores Claiborne" was written with Bates in mind. King also wrote the script for The Stand (1994). His original novel featured a (male) character named Ray Flowers; upon hearing that Bates wanted to be involved in the miniseries, King re-wrote the part as a woman (Rae Flowers) just so Bates could play the part."
#9
The Lord Of The Rings - Ian Mckellen
stormcrow2112 replied: "I remember early rumors of Sean Connery in the role. I’d be curious to look at that alternate reality if that would have been true or came to fruition."
#10
Die Hard, Harry Potter, Galaxy Quest - Alan Rickman
"Alan Rickman as Hans Gurber in 'Die Hard.'"
PeevesPoltergist wrote: "Alan Rickman - Severus Snape."
Gogo726 wrote: "Alan Rickman in 'Galaxy Quest.' Though I could have posted just Alan Rickman and the post would have still answered the question."
#11
Hugh Jackman - Wolverine
Quasar_Cross replied: "In terms of appearance, Wolverine has always been super short, super hairy, not very attractive, and bulkier. Stout. In that sense Jackman didnt resemble the comicbook character. His attitude/personality? 1000% Wolverine. That's a mark a fantastic actor."
#14
The Fifth Element - Chris Tucker
"Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod from 'The Fifth Element.' I heard they wanted Prince, but Chris was perfect. No one was ready for that."
#17
The Princess Bride - Andre Roussimoffas
"Anyone other than Andre the Giant as Fezzik would be inconceivable. If only he could have played the Mountain That Rides."
#18
Back To The Future - Christopher Lloyd And Marty Mcffy
"Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and of course Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown."
#19
Clue - Tim Curry
"Tim Curry in 'Clue', 'Rocky Horror', 'Muppet Treasure Island', 'Ferngully', etc..."
#20
Aliens - Sigourney Weaver
A commenter replied: "Greatest action hero if all time."
#23
Jurassic Park - Jeff Goldblum
"Jeff Goldblum as Malcolm in 'Jurassic Park.' On second thought all of the actors in "'Jurassic Park.'"
#24
The Shawshank Redemption - Morgan Freeman
"The whole cast of 'The Shawshank Redemption.' Special mention to Morgan Freeman. Made Morgan's voice iconic."
#25
The Wizard Of Oz - Judy Garland
AsYooouWish replied: "Fun fact: originally they wanted Shirley Temple as Dorothy"
#29
Fight Club - Brad Pitt And Edward Norton
"I'd have to say Edward Norton as Narrator and Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in 'Fight Club.' But that entire cast was solid. They embodied the characters flawlessly from the book."
#33
Gladiator - Russell Crowe
"Russell Crowe as Maximus in 'Gladiator.' The speech once he takes off the mask is goosebump-inducing epic. Quiet strength."
#36
Star Wars - Ewan Mcgregor
"Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan Kenobi. I’m glad he’ll be returning again."
#37
Walk The Line - Joaquin Phoenix
"Joaquin Phoenix in 'Walk the Line.' A super Johnny Cash."
#38
Django Unchained - Jamie Foxx And Christoph Waltz
"I really liked Jamie Fox as Django. Christoph Waltz was also really good."
#42
Threat Level Midnight: The Movie - Steve Carell
"Michael Scarn - played by Michael Scott. The best protagonist in the whole film industry."
#46
Full Metal Jacket - R. Lee Ermey
"Gny Sgt. Hartman is the truest character in the film."
#48
Gone Girl - Rosamund Pike
"Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne in 'Gone Girl.' She perfectly embodied the Amy of the book and somehow added even more depth to the character. She was truly excellent and deserved the oscar."
#49
Superman - Henry Cavill
"I know they botched the overall franchise but I thought Henry Cavill was the perfect Superman."
#52
Constantine - Peter Stormare
"Let's not forget Peter Stormare as Satan."
#56
Whiplash - J.K Simmons
"J.K Simmons as Fletcher in 'Whiplash.' The dude was intense in that film, couldn't imagine anyone else in that role now."
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What do you think ?
Jessica Specht 1 year ago
Yup. I couldn't watch most of that movie. It just freaked me out.
Load More Replies...
Paulo Freitas 1 year ago
For me a perfect Cast is an actor that plays a role in a way that no other actor could do it, for instances Johnny Depp in Pirates, who else could play that Jack Sparow? Or Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura, actors with specific querks that make them unique, and who's querks preety much make the movie, yes there are a lot of good actors in this list, but only a few are perfect for the role.
Jessica Specht 1 year ago
Yup. I couldn't watch most of that movie. It just freaked me out.
Load More Replies... Paulo Freitas 1 year ago
For me a perfect Cast is an actor that plays a role in a way that no other actor could do it, for instances Johnny Depp in Pirates, who else could play that Jack Sparow? Or Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura, actors with specific querks that make them unique, and who's querks preety much make the movie, yes there are a lot of good actors in this list, but only a few are perfect for the role.
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